Fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

' C. C.WALWORTH.

FIRE BXTINGUISHER- Y lNo. 281,169. Patented July l0, 1883` y N. PEYERS. nwwuungnpher, washngmn. n, c.

llNrrnn Srl/iras PATENT Orrrcn.

CALEB C. VVALVORTH, OF BOSTON, MASSf/XCHUSETTS.

FiRE-EXTLNGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part o f Letters Patent No. 281,169, dated July 10, 1883.

Application filed January 2, 1883.

:To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Carni: C. WALwon'rn, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Fire- Extinguishers, of which the following descrip'- tion, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification-like letters on the drawings representing like parts- My invention, relating to automatic re-eX tinguishers, is embodied in an extinguisher of that class inwhich the water is held back by a valve that is released by the softening or melting of a material or solder that is fusible at a very low temperature, so as to be melted by the iirst heat of a confia-gration.

My invention consists, mainly, in a novel holding device for the valve, by which it is retained upon its seat, the said holding device being kept in operative position by fusible or yielding material which does not of itself afford thestrength by which the valve is held upon its seat. Thcvalve-holding device consists of a nut dividedlongit-udinally and having its parts fastened together by the fusible material and acted upon by springs tending to separate them.. The valve-stein is threaded and screwed into the said nut to press the valve against its seat, and it will be seen that if square threads are used the pressure will be wholly sustained by the threads, while the solder will only have to be strong enough to resist the springs by which the portions of the nut are to be separated when the solder is fused, so asto release the valve-stem and permit the valve-to open.

The invention also consists in details of construction ot' the extinguisher, in which the main invention is in this instance embodied.

Figure l is a front elevation of an automatic iire-extinguisher embodying this invention;l

Fig. 2, a vertical section thereof on line m x; Fig. "3, a plan view of the water-spreading device. detached; and Fig. 4t, a horizontalsection on line y y, Fig. l, showing the valve-holding device.

The main or water-delivering portion a. of the extinguisher, provided with the usual threads, b, and wrenchiaces c for connecting it with water-pipe, and having its water-passage 2 terminating in a valveseat, d, is made with a iiange or rim, e, with which the other parts are connected.

(No model.)

The valve f has astem, g, preferably free to rotate in its socket h., and shown in this instance as provided with square threads to engage the Vabre-holding devi.ce,'consisting of a nut or threaded socket, i if, made in two portions, united by fusible solder or material that will melt or disintegrate upon rise in temperature above a certain limit. The solder is shown in this instance as inserted between soldering-wings k, projecting from the portions i i ofthe nut, which is connected with the main portion a oi" the extinguisher by arms m, which also constitute the springs for separating the portions t' t of the nut to release the valve, the said arms being elastic and bent from their normal straight condition when the two parts.

of the nut are united, as shown in full lines, Fig. l.

It will be seen that the pressure of the valve against its seat can be adjusted by rotating its stem, and that no strain is produced upon the solder, which is merely acted upon by the elastic force of the arms or springs m. When the solder or material connecting the two portions of the nut is so weakened by a rise in temperature as to be overcome or broken by the springs m, the nut will be separated, as shown in dott-ed lines, Fig. l, disengaging the valve-stem, which falls by its own weight, assisted bythe pressure of the water on the valve, which also drops, but is arrested by the separated nut, the parts of which do not move far enough to permit the valve to pass through between them. The valve thus remains in the path of the stream of water issuing from the passage 2, and breaks it up, so that it does not fall as a solid stream, but is scattered about.

ln order to spread the water and direct a portion of it upward, a spreading device, a, is employed, (shown as an annular saucer-shaped piece,) supported upon standards o, connected with the flange e ofthe main portion oi' the extinguisher, it being passed over the nut t' t. The valve f, when released from its seat and supported on the separated nut, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. 2, rests within and nearly iills the opening of the spreading device, there being, however, sufficient space to permit some of the water to pass down directly beneath the extinguisher. The spreading device n is provided with recesscs 3 to receive the spring- IOO ' and the divided Valve-holding nut having its i extinguisher, provided With a valve-seat, and

arms m When the nut is separated by them. It is not essential that the threads of the nut and valve-stem should be square, although, if the ordinary V-threads were used, a slight force might be brought upon the solder in addition to the strain of the springs. Such strain, however, Will not usually be objectionable, but Will generally be desirable, .as it Will increase the certainty of the valve-opening promptly, the essential feature of the invention being that the valve-holding device or nut is made of ordinary material not affected by the small change in temperature required to fuse or disintegrate the solder. By the term fusible solder7 7 I mean to include as its equivalent any material that is melted or consumed or Weakened and disintegrated by a small rise in teinperature.

I claiml. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination of the main portion provided With a valve-seat, Withthe valve, its threaded stem,

parts united by fusible solder or equivalent material, substantially as described.

2. The main portion of an automatic firethe valve and its threaded stem, combined with the divided valve-holding nut having its parts united by fusible solder or equivalent, and springs tending to separate the said parts, j substantially 'as described.

v3. The main portion of an automatic fireextinguisher, provided Witli 'a valve-seat, and the valve and its threaded stem, andrdivided valve-holding nut, combined with the annular spreading device to receive Within its openin g the valve when released from its seat, substan-v tially as described.

4. The main portion of an automatic fireextinguisher and valve, combined With the divided valve-holding nut having its tWo portions united by fusible solder, and the springarms by which the said nut is connected With the main portion`of the extinguisher, andby which its parts are separated When released by the softening or melting of the said solder, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the main portion of an automatic re-extinguisher, provided with a valve-seat, With the valve and its threadedA stem, and divided valve-holding nut, the parts of Which are provided with soldering-Wings adapted to be fastened together by easily-fusible solder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CALEB C. VALWORTH.

Vitnesses: i

Jos. P. LIvnRi/ronn, BERNIQE J. NoYns. 

